Upanishads · Mahā 5.30
॥
Devanāgarī
भूमिकात्रितयाभ्यासाच्चित्ते तु विरतेर्वशात् सत्त्वात्मनि स्थिते शुद्धे सत्त्वापत्तिरुदाहृता
Transliteration (IAST)
bhūmikātritayābhyāsāccitte tu viratervaśāt sattvātmani sthite śuddhe sattvāpattirudāhṛtā
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
भूमिका-त्रितय-अभ्यासात्bhūmikā-tritaya-abhyāsātfrom the practice of the three stages; from application in the three steps
चित्ते तु विरतेः वशात्citte tu virateḥ vaśātin the mind, by the power of aversion; in consciousness, by the sway of detachment
सत्त्व-आत्मनि स्थिते शुद्धेsattva-ātmani sthite śuddhewhen it stands settled in pure being; when it is established in stainless goodness
सत्त्व-आपत्तिः उदाहृताsattva-āpattiḥ udāhṛtāthis is named the attainment of being; it is styled the winning of sattva
Translation
“When, from the practice of the three stages, the mind by the power of detachment has settled in pure being — this is named the attainment of being.”
Version
e068e9edbb6e · published Jul 29, 2026, 6:29:20 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The fourth stage, and it is the turning-point of the whole ladder.
Before it went effort: desire, inquiry, thinning. Here the mind has at last “settled” — sthite.
The word sattva means both “being” and “goodness”. Both senses work: the man stands in what is, and is therefore bright.
Note the turn virater vaśāt — “by the power of detachment”. Not “by strength of will” and not “by force of knowledge”. Detachment is named a power.
This is truly observed. While a man wants something from an object, he has power neither over himself nor over the object. Power appears exactly when he ceases to need.
The fourth stage is the boundary of which 5.36 and after will speak: before it a man is still “one who practises”; after it, already another.